Liquid fill apparatus



Oct. 31, 1967 H. F. cox, JR., ET AL LIQUID FILL APPARATUS I 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 24, 1965 INVENTORS HERBERT F. COXJR.

CLYDE E. STRAHL.

ATTORNEV Oct. 31, 1967 H. F. cox, JR., ET AL 3,349,359

LIQUID FILL APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1965 I) Sheets-Sheet 3 m M o m m f6 mm. m "n m H mx I n m a l l mn uw-rfll "VF. I. m I gw lfi R a 7/! a 2m I I 2 H n I. I m; 8 m b m 4 2 0 A w m 4 5 \mm 3 I m 1| F 1 r A 2 JV &a o O Q m w '0 O 4 m m m Q m w m mm m 4 1 x e W 1v VF 47 WI 3 l I g \QUCv 7/ fK 2 8OrIo M m 3 I CLVDE ESTRAHL. BY M ATTORNEY LIQUID FILLAPPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheetfi Filed Feb. 24, 1965 IN VENTOR. HERBERT F.COX. 3 R.

CLYDE E.STRAHL- ATTORNEY United States Patent.

3,349,859 LIQUID FILL APPARATUS Herbert F. Cox, Jr., Syracuse, NY. andClyde E. Strahl, Greenfield, Ind., assignors to Inland ContainerCorporation, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Feb. 24,1965, Ser. No. 434,756 11 Claims. (Cl. 177-118) ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE Liquid fill apparatus having a three position valve, oneelement of which has a nozzle for engaging a fill hose, and in which anair cylinder moves the nozzle into engagement with the fill hose andmoves the valve from one position to a second position where the nozzleis connected to vacuum, and a second air cylinder adapted after apredetermined interval of delay moves the valve to the third positionwhere the nozzle is connected to pressure fill, and in which after apredetermined quantity of liquid has been delivered, the second aircylinder returns the valve to the second position, and after apredetermined dwell' period, to clear the nozzle by suction, the firstair cylinder returns the valve to the original position and uncouplesthe nozzle.

This invention relates to automatic liquid filling apparatus adapted tosequentially vacuumize and pressure fill thin walled plastic linersdisposed in semi-rigid cartons or other containers.

In the filling of plastic liner bags used in conjunction with corrugatedfiber board cartons and the like, the liner bags, of thin plastic,single ply, or double ply, are provided with a filling tube or hosewhich is generally sealed at its end and attached to the liner shortlyafter extrusion of the liner material, it being understood that in twoply liners, the internal ply is usually of tubular extruded plastic ofpolyethylene or the like. The tubular inner ply, once extruded and cutto length and heat sealed, and supplied with a fill tube is usually insubstantially collapsed form, that is, there is no air or gas within theliner of any consequential amount. In the filling of such liners with aliquid product such as milk, it is desirable to couple the fill nozzleto the fill tube, while providing for the escape of entrapped air. Thusit has been found desirable to subject the liner and its fill tube to asubatmospheric pressure source, immediately before the pressure filling,in order to eliminate substantially all of the gas or air contained inthe liner. When filling with milk, the absence of air within the linereliminates foaming, and filling at a rapid rate as under pressure isthus permissible.

The vacuumizing and filling of such liners has been accomplished by avalvular nozzle arrangement, which in sequence connects a nozzle to thefill tube, and while maintaining such connection, the nozzle is firstconnected to a source of vacuum, and thereafter -by shifting of thevalve is connected to a pressure source of liquid product such as milk,cream, ice cream mix or the like. After filling out the liner intosupported relation with its semi-rigid container, and supplying thedesired quantity of liquid, the valvular nozzle device, while the nozzleremains coupled to the fill tube, is shifted to cut off the supply ofliquid product, and to subject the nozzle to vacuum, and to thereaftercut off the vacuum, before disconnecting the nozzle from the fill tube.The foregoing sequence of operations has heretofore been carried outmanually, with apparatus as shown in Cox 3,108,901, following theprocedure described in Cox Patent No. 3,178,063, issued Aug. 13, 1965.Such manual operation tended to provide inadequate dwell at thevacuumizing stage to assure that the liner was as free of air aspossible, and failed to pro- 3,349,859 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 videadequate dwell at the vacuumizing stage following the fill to remove theexcess liquid from the nozzle. -It is desirable in dairy apparatus thatspillage and unsanitary conditions resulting therefrom be avoided.

The present invention is directed to the power operation of a fillingapparatus of the type that has a nozzle that first couples with a linerfill tube, and sequentially subjects the liner to vacuum followed byfilling, and the reverse operation after filling. More particularly theinvention is directed to power operation of such apparatus wherein thefilling valve is moved through two positively controlled increments ofmovement, one to couple the nozzle to the liner fill tube, and shift thevalve to vacuumizing position, and the second to shift the valve fromvacuumizing position to fill position after a predetermined interval oftime. The invention further provides for reverse movement throughpredetermined increments of movement spaced by a predetermined dwellperiod at the vacuum valve connection, the reverse movement beingtriggered by the termination of the filling of the liner to the extentdesired.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear morefully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understoodthat the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and arenot designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, referencebeing had for this purpose to the appended claims.

' In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate likeparts:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational apparatus with parts broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a quarter section illustrative view showing the relation ofthe filler head parts in off position;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the relation of thefiller head parts in the vacuumizing position;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURES 2 showing the relation of thefiller position, and

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view of the air and electric controlapparatus.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown a work table and frame 120 which may berectangular and provided with a cabinet 122 therebeneath to houseapparatus such as a vacuum pump, and scale mechanism. Above the worktable is a scale platform 20 upon which a corrugated carton 22 having athin wall plastic liner bag 24 is supported during filling, the scalebeing employed to measure the scale has a pair of electrical contactswh1ch are closed when a weight of liquid product has been delivered tothe liner 24 equivalent to the volume desired, and for which the scaleand switch 70 have been set. The table and cabinet are supported on legs126.

In the center of the rear of the table there is mounted a verticalcolumn 43 that may be raised or lowered, the column being slidablysupported in guide blocks 131 and 132. The lower end of the column isprovided with a rack 134. Journalled in the block 132 to one side of thecolumn 43 is a shaft 136 having a small pinion 138 in engagement withthe rack 134. The shaft 136 extends to the front of the table and isprovided with a handcrank 140. A set screw 133 may be provided in theblock 131 which when tightened will hold the column 43 at view of thefilling and 3 head parts in the fill any set position. By raising orlowering the column 43,

, end of a fill tube 26 attached tolthe liner 24. Such support arm issplit at its outer end, and one portion 29 thereof hinged on a verticalpivot as at 31 so that the split parts can be locked about the tube 26,as by a lock bar 33-, or opened to allow insertion or removal of thetube 26 prior to or after filling. A cutter 142 having a horizontalblade (not shown) swinging about a vertical axis is pivotally mountedupon the arm 28, a pivot pin 144 being provided for the purpose.

Above the tube support arm 28 is a valve support arm 44. The support armslidably supports a valve casing 37 in spaced bushing sleeves 146 and148. The casing 37 has a shoulder 150 which limits its upward movementwith respect to the arm 44. The casing 37 is provided with opposedaxially aligned trunnions 152, only one of which is shown in FIGURES 2,3, and 4, in order to permit the showing of the vacuumizing port 38which normally extends to the rear. The trunnions 152, on opposite sidesof the casing 37, are engaged in the forked ends 154 of a forked lever46, having spaced arms 45 and 47 on opposite sides of the column 43, andthe valve casing 37. The spaced arms are pivoted on axially alignedpivot pin 156 afiixed on opposite sides of the column 43. The oppositeend of the lever 46 is coupled to the piston rod 48 of the upper aircylinder 52, of the tandem cylinder operating assembly 50. The lower endof the tandem assembly 50, is pivotally mounted as at 188, on an arm 190affixed to the column 43.

Within the valve casing 37 is a valve body 32, having threaded on itslower end, a fill nozzle 36. The valve body is provided with a T-port 34the axial portion of which couples with the nozzle port 35, and theupper transverse portion of which communicates with an annular groove160 in the valve body. The valve body is generally cylindrical andslides within the cylindrical bore of casing 37. O-ring seals 162, 164,166 and 168 are provided along the length of the body.

The valve casing 37 is provided with a port 38, adapted to be connectedto a vacuum pump 10, the connection having a liquid trap 12 interposedbetween the pump and valve. The port 38, while shown at the side in FIG-URES 2, 3 and 4, for illustrative purposes, will preferably in practiceextend to the rear of the valve casing, as indicated in FIGURE 1, sincein practice axially aligned opposed trunnions 152 are employed for thelever 46.

The valve casing 37 is also provided with a product port 40 disposedabove, and axially spaced from the vacuum port 38. Liquid product'from asupply 14 is delivered under pressure to the port 4t] by a pump 16. Thevalve body 32 has a stem 170, which extends upwardly through the valvecasing sleeve 172, and projects through the end block 174 of the sleeve.The stem 170 is provided with a groove 176 in which is disposed a ring178 to limit the relative movement between the stem 170 and sleeve 172.Disposed upon the stem 170 is a compression coil spring 42 which bearsagainst the shoulder 180 and the block 174. The spring is under moderatecompression when the parts are in the position shown in FIGURE 2 orFIGURE 1.

It will be understood that in practice, the port 38 is connected to asource of vacuum, the pump 10, providing vacuum in the order of 5 to 8inches of mercury, and that port 40 is connected to a source of liquidproduct, such as milk, ice cream mix or the like, that is underpressure, which may be in the order of to 40 pounds per square inchgage. Before filling, a carton 22 is placed upon the scale platform, aliner 24 placed in the carton, and the fill hose positioned in thesupport arm 28. The cutter 142 is employed to cut ofi the sealed orplugged end of the hose on a transverse cut as indicated at 17, at auniform fixed height above the arm 28.

In order to fill the liner, the valve casing 37 is lowered, by initialactuation of the tandem cylinder assembly 50 to bring the nozzle intocoupled engagement with the open cut end 17 of the tube, and lower thevalve casing further, with respect to the valve body 32 to align thegroove160 with the vacuum port 38 as in FIGURE 3,

the spring 42 having been additionally compressed in the process. Thethin walled plastic liner bag with its hose 26 is generally manufacturedas a bag assembly under sanitary conditions, the hose end being sealed,and the bag being collapsed and substantially free of any gas or air.Thus upon cutting off the sealed end of the hose and coupling the nozzle36- to the tube end, sanitary conditions are maintained. By coupling thetube 26 by valve actuation to the source of vacuum, removal ofsubstantially all of the air or gas contained in the liner is furtherassured, and the air or gas in the tube 26 rarified.

Thereafter the valve casing 37 is further lowered to the positionshownin FIGURE 4, by actuation from the cylinder assembly, wherein theproduct port 40 is aligned with the valve body groove 160, and liquidproduct is caused to flow rapidly under pressure into the bag or liner24-, to cause the same to fill out into supported relation with thecarton side walls, it being understood that the liner preferably hassufiicient length and girth to fill out in supported relation to thecarton without being stressed.

When the desired quantity of liquid product has been supplied to theliner, the scale switch 70 closes, the cylinder assembly 50 permits thespring 42 to lift the valve casing 37 to cut off the supply of liquidproduct, and move the valve to the vacuumizing position shown in FIG-URE 3, to suck the port 35 in the nozzle, and the bore 34 of the valvebody clear of liquid product, whereupon when the casing 37 is lifted tothe position shown in FIGURE 2 no drip will occur. The tube 26 is readyfor release from the arm 28, and the open end plugged, and the filledcontainer is sealed and removed from the scale platform.

The power control over the operation of the apparatus will appear from aconsideration of the diagrammatic electrical and air circuit shown inFIGURE 5. As indicated therein, there is the scale platform 20, uponwhich is positioned the carton 22, with its liner 24 and hose 26attached thereto, the hose 26 being supported in the column arm 28, inalignment with the reciprocating vacuumizing and filling valve 30. Suchvalve comprises the valve body 32 having the T-port 34 and nozzle 36.The valve body is slidable within valve casing 37 to sequentiallyconnect with the vacuum port 38, and liquid product port 40, afterengagement of the nozzle 36 with the hose 26, the shifting of the valvebody 32 in casing 37 being against the compression of spring 42. Thevalve casing 37, being slidably mounted in column support arm 44, isactuated by the lever 46 connected to the piston rod 48 of the uppercylinder 52 of the tandem cylinder assembly 50.

The cylinder assembly 50 comprises two axially aligned cylinders 52 and54, the upper cylinder 52 having a piston and rod travel correlated tothe overall travel of the valve casing 37. The lower cylinder 54 isprovided with a piston 56 and rod 58 having a'lesser travel, "and theend of the rod 58 abuts the piston 60 of cylinder 52, and is adapted tomove the piston 60 and its rod 48 through a partial stroke, such partialstroke being commensurate with the amount of movement required of thevalve casing 37 to couple the nozzle 36 with the end of the hose 26, andshift with respect to the valve body 32 a sufficient distance to alignthe vacuum port 38 with the valve body groove 160. Thus the lowercylinder 54 is adapted to shift the valve 30 to the vacuum position asshown in FIGURE 3, while the upper cylinder is adapted to complete themovement to align the product port 40 with the valve body groove 160.Thus in bringing the valve to filling position, two positive steps ofmovement are provided, by control of the cylinders 52 and 54, and inreturning the valve after filling, two positive steps of movement arealso provided by the cylinder control. Manual switches 72 and 74 areprovided for closing by an' operator to commence the filling operation.When switches 72 and 74 are simultaneously closed, solenoid of afour-way valve 82 is energized, and solenoid 84 of a three-way valve 86is energized, through the normally closed lower contacts 88 of a vacuumhold switch 89, the upper contacts 90 of which are normally open.

Actuation of the valve 86, from the position shown, introduces air underpressure from an air pressure line 91, into a valve operating pilotcylinder 92 of a four-way valve 94. The valve 94, upon being shiftedcounterclockwise from the position shown, introduces air under pressurethrough pipe 96 into cylinder 54, driving the piston 56 through itsentire stroke, and thereby moving piston 60 of cylinder 52 through afixed part of its stroke, and thus the valve casing 37 is lowered tocouple the valve body nozzle 36 with the end 17 of hose 26, and bringthe groove 160 in alignment with the vacuum port 38 against the urge ofspring 42 (see FIGURE 3). The energization of solenoid 80 shifts valve82 clockwise from the position shown, so as to subject the pneumatictime delay device 100 to air pressure from pipe line 96.

The pneumatic time delay valve, after a pre-set interval, passes air foractuation of the air actuated pilot operator 102 of the three-way valve104, shifting the same counterclockwise from the position shown so as tosupply air under pressure to cylinder 52 through pipes 106, 108 and 109.The pipe 108 is provided with an exhaust dump valve 110, the normallyopen exhaust port 112 of which is closed by valve actuation therewithin,in response to pressure in pipe 108. Thus While piston 56 moves piston60 through a partial stroke, air is free to enter exhaust port 112. Theupper end of cylinder 54 is provided with a vent 55. Upon air, underpressure, being delivered to pipe 108 from valve 104, the exhaust port112 of the dump valve is closed, and the piston 60 is driven through theremainder of its stroke, whereupon liquid product under pressure at port40, is coupled with the groove 160 of valve body 32, and filling of thecontainer liner 24 commences (see FIGURE 4).

When a predetermined weight of liquid product has been delivered to theliner 24, scale switch 70 closes, energizing solenoid 85 of valve 86 toreturn the valve 86 to the position shown, and to exhaust the pilotcylinder 92. At the same time solenoid 81 of valve 82 is energized,shifting valve 82 to the position shown, and exhausting pipe 101, andpilot operator 102, it being understood that on reverse flow, thepneumatic time delay valve 100 acts as a free flowing check valve. Airpressure in line 96 flows through valve 82 to pipe 120 to actuate pilot122 to shift valve 104 to the position shown, whereby pressure in pipeline 108 is relieved, and exhaust port 112 of the quick dump valve 110opened, thus allowing the spring 42 to move the piston 60 downwardly toa position where it is blocked by the raised piston 56 and its rod 58.The valve body 32 and groove rested,

of milk in the nozzle 36 and its bore 35. Air pressure in line 120commences to activate the pneumatic timer delay valve 124, and after apreset interval, air under pressure passes through the valve to pilot 93of valve 94, causing the valve 94 to shift to the position shown. Thevalve 94 thus connects cylinder 54 to the exhaust port 97 of valve 94,and connects the pressure source 91 t the upper end of cylinder 52through pipe 130 to drive the piston 60 to the lower end of its stroke,and thereby shift the valve body 32 with respect to the casing 37 to cutoff vacuum and to lift the nozzle 36 from the hose 26 of the liner 24.It will be seen that the piston 56 returns to its lower position, pipes96 and 120 being exhaused as at 97, and the time delay device 124releases the pressure on pilot 93, by reason of its free reverse flowcheck valve operation.

Each of the pneumatic time delay valves are identical in construction,and act as a check valve allowing free flow in one direction. In theopposite direction, an adjustable bleed controls the time delay be- 100and 124 fore the valve opens. In practice each may be set to provide atime delay of about one second, which is a sulficient dwell at thevacuumizing port to assure removal of air, on the downstroke of thefiller valve, and avoid Spillage upon the upstroke upon removal of thenozzle from the hose end.

If at any time it is desired to stop the operation during filling, astop switch 140 is provided connected in parallel with the scale switch70. Thus by momentarily closing switch 140, the same Sequence ofoperations set in motion by the closing of scale contacts 70, iselfected, which results in the same two stage lifting of the valvecasing 37, together with the valve body 32 and nozzle 36 to the startposition indicated. If it be desired to provide a prolonged periodduring which vacuum is applied to the liner, preparatory to filling,normally open switch is momentarily closed, opening switch 88, andswitch 74 simultaneously closed, so as to energize solenoid 84, to shiftvalve 86 to activate the pilot 92, which in turn shifts valve 94 tosupply air to cylinder 54. Movement of the piston 56, to the top of itsstroke brings the valve casing 37 to the position relative to the valvebody 32 so as to couple the vacuum port 38 to the groove 160 of thevalve body 32. Thereafter the fill cycle can be completed as soon asdesired, by merely momentarily closing switch 72. Such prolongedvacuumization period may be useful if for any reason, a liner shouldcontain excess air requiring more time for removal.

While cylinders arranged in tandem have been shown for effecting the twostage movement, an arrangement employing two cylinders operating thevalvular mechanism through an equalizing bar would be equally effective,one cylinder in that case being responsible for the initial increment ofmovement, and the other responsible for the final increment of movement.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that positive actuation of the fillapparatus in two stages, with a desired dwell at the vacuumizing stageis assured, and since the operation is automatic, the operator is freeto adjust the bag, and watch the filling thereof to the end that the bagfills out against the walls of the supporting container as desired. Theoperator may also prepare the next carton and liner for filling, orcomplete the closing of the flaps of the previous container. By reasonof the dwells at the vacuumizing stage, not only is the liner completelycollapsed, but unsanitary spillage of milk, after fill is avoided.

It will be understood that the control switches 72, 89, 140 and 74 maybe conveniently located upon the front of the cabinet 122 as indicatedin FIGURE 1, and the cylinder control apparatus of FIGURE 5 may behoused as at 200, the flexible tubes 96, 109, and leading to the tandemair cylinder assembly 50. From the apparatus shown, it will be seen thatall the necessary operating mechanism is supported upon the column 43,so that its height may be varied without disturbing the actuatingmechanism.

While a single form of the invention has been illustrated and described,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Asvarious changes in the construction and arrangement may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for adefinition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In liquid filling apparatus for filling flexible thin walledcollapsible container liners disposed within a semirigid supportingcontainer, the liner having a fill tube, valvular means having a nozzleadapted for connecting with said fill tube and including relativelymovable valve means having a first ofl position, a second vacuumizingposition for connecting said nozzle to a source of the valve meansbetween said first and third positions in two increments of movementseparated by a fixed increment of delay at the second position.

2. In liquid filling apparatus for filling flexible thin walledcollapsible container liners disposed within a semirigid supportingcontainer, the liner having a fill tube, means for supporting a filltube in a position elevated above the container, valvular means having anozzle adapted for connecting with said fill tube and includingrelatively movable valve means having a first olf position, a secondvacuumizing position for connecting said nozzle to a source of vacuum,and a third pressure fill position for connecting said nozzle to asource of liquid product under pressure, and power actuating means forsaid valve means for moving the valve means between said first and thirdpositions in two increments of movement separated by a fixed incrementof delay at the second position.

3. In liquid filling apparatus for filling flexible thin walledcollapsible container liners disposed within a semirigid supportingcontainer, the liner having a fill tube, means for supporting a filltube in a position elevated above the container, valvular means having anozzle adapted for connecting with said fill tube and includingrelatively moveable valve means comprising a valve casing and a valvebody to which the nozzle is attached said valve casing and body having afirst off position, a second vacuumizing position for connecting saidnozzle to a source of vacuum, and a third pressure fill position forconnecting said nozzle to a source of liquid product under pressure,resilient means associated with said valve casing and body for urgingthe valve body toward the off position and power actuating means forsaid valve means for moving the valve means and valve casing and bodyrelative to each other against said resilient means between said firstand third positions in two increments of movement separated by a fixedincrement of delay at the second position.

4. In liquid filling apparatus for filling flexible thin walledcollapsible container liners disposed within a semi-rigid supportingcontainer, the diner having a fill tube, a scale platform for supportinga container and liner, means thereabove for supporting a liner filltube, valvular means having a nozzle adapted for connecting with saidfill tube and including relatively movable valve means including a valvecasing and valve body to which the nozzle is attached and said valvecasing and body having a first off position, a second vacuumizingposition for connecting said nozzle to a source of vacuum, and a thirdpressure fill position for connecting said nozzle to a source of liquidproduct under pressure, resilient means for urging said valve bodyrelative to said valve casing toward said first off position poweractuating means for said valve means for moving the valve means andvalve casing and body relative to each other against said resilientmeans between said first and third positions in two increments ofmovement separated by a fixed increment of delay at the second position,and means responsive to a predetermined scale platform weight forreleasing the power actuating means effective in moving the valvecasing'and body through the second increment of movement, whereby toallow the resilient means to return the valve body relative to the valvecasing to the vacuumizing position.

5. In liquid filling apparatus for filling flexible thin walledcollapsible container liners disposed within a semi-rigid supportingcontainer, the liner having a fill tube, means thereabove for supportinga liner fill tube, valvular means having a nozzle adapted for connectingwith said fill tube and including relatively movable valve meansincluding a valve casing and valve body to which the nozzle is attachedand said valve casing and body having a first off position, a secondvacuumizing position for connecting said nozzle to a sou-roe of vacuum,and a third pressure fill position for connecting said nozzle to asource of liquid product under pressure, resilient means for urging saidvalve body relative to said valve casing toward said first off positionpower actuating means for said valve means for moving the valve meansand valve casing and body relative to each other against said resilientmeans between said first and third positions in two increments ofmovement separated by a fixed increment of delay at the second position,and means responsive to a predetermined scale platform weight forreleasing the power actuating means effective in moving the valve casingand body through the second increment of movement, whereby to allow theresilient means to return the valve body relative to the valve casing tothe vacuumizing position, and means actuated after a predetermined dwellat the vacuumizing position for power actuation of the valve means tothe first position and disconnecting the nozzle from the tube.

6. A liquid fill apparatus comprising a work table having a scaleplatform, a support column extending upwardly from said table, saidcolumn having an arm projecting over said scale platform for supportingthe fill tube of a collapsible container liner disposed in a supportingcontainer on said scale platform, said column having an upper armdisposed above said fill tube arm, valvular means slidably disposed insaid upper arm including a valve body having a nozzle aligned forconnecting with a fill tube held in said fill tube arm, and a valvecasing reciprocable in said upper arm and relative to said valve body,said valve body having a lateral port communicating with the nozzle, andsaid valve casing having axially spaced upper and lower ports adapted toseparately communicate with the valve body port, and resilient means forurging said valve body port to a position below said casing ports, asource of vacuum connected to the lower of said casing ports, and asource of liquid product under pressure connected to the upper of saidcasing ports power means for moving said valve casing to connect saidnozzle to a fill tube held in said arm and move the valve casingdownwardly with respect to the valve body to a position aligning saidvalve body port with the valve casing lower port against said resilientmeans, and separate power means for moving said valve casing relativetothe valve body to a position of alignment of said valve body port withthe valve casing upper port, and means for activating said first powermeans in advance of said separate power means by a fixed time delay.

7. A liquid fill apparatus comprising a work table having a scaleplatform, a support column extending upwardly from said table, saidcolumn having an arm projecting over said scale platform for supportingthe fill tube of a collapsible container liner disposed in a supportingcontainer on said scale platform, said column having an upper armdisposed above said fill tube arm, valvular means slidably disposed insaid upper arm including a valve body having a nozzle aligned forconnecting with a fill tube held in said fill tube arm, and a valvecasing reciprocable in said upper arm and relative to said valve body,

a scale platform for supporting a container and liner,

said valve body having a lateral port communicating with the nozzle, andsaid valve casing having axially spaced upper and lower ports adapted toseparately communicate with the valve body port, and resilient means forurging said valve body port to a position below said casing ports, asource of vacuum connected to the lower of said casing ports, and asource of liquid product under pressure connected to the upper of saidcasing ports, power means for moving said valve casing from a firstposition to connect said nozzle to a fill tube held in said arm and movethe valve casing downwardly with respect to the valve body to avacuumizing position aligning said valve body port with the valve casingport against said resilient means, and separate power means for movingsaid valve casing further relative to the valve body to a fill positionof alignment of said valve body port with the valve casing upper portand against said resilient means, means for activating said first powermeans in advance of said separate power means by a fixed time delay andmeans responsive to the movement of the scale platform for deactivatingsaid separate power means whereby said resilient means returns the valvebody and casing to the vacuumizing position.

8. A liquid fill apparatus comprising a work table having a scaleplatform, a support column extending upwardly from said table, saidcolumn having an arm projecting over said scale platform for supportingthe fill tube of a collapsible container liner disposed in a supportingcontainer on said scale platform, said column having an upper armdisposed above said fill tube arm, valvular means slidably disposed insaid upper arm including a valve body having a nozzle aligned forconnecting with a fill tube held in said fill tube arm, and a valvecasing reciprocable in said upper arm and relative to said valve body,said valve body having a lateral port communicating with the nozzle, andsaid valve casing having axially spaced upper and lower ports adapted toseparately com municate with the valve body port, and resilient meansfor urging said valve body port to a position below said casing ports, asource of vacuum connected to the lower of said casing ports, and asource of liquid product under pressure connected to the upper of saidcasing ports, power means for moving said valve casing from a firstposition to connect said nozzle to a fill tube held in said arm and movethe valve casing downwardly with respect to the valve body to avacuumizing position aligning said valve body port with the valve casingport against said resilient means, and separate power means for movingsaid valve casing further relative to the valve body to a fill positionof alignment of said valve body port with the valve casing upper portand against said resilient means, means for activating said first powermeans in advance of said separate power means by a fixed time delay,means responsive to the movement of the scale platform for deactivatingsaid separate power means whereby said resilient means returns the valvebody and casing to the vacuumizing position, and power means effectiveafter a fixed time delay for returning the valve casing to the firstposition and disconnecting the nozzle from the fill tube.

9. A liquid fill apparatus comprising a Work table having a scaleplatform, a support column extending upwardly from said table, saidcolumn having an arm projecting over said scale platform for supportingthe fill tube of a collapsible container liner disposed in a supportingcontainer on said scale platform, said column having an upper armdisposed above said fill tube arm, valvular means slidably disposed insaid upper arm including a valve body having a nozzle aligned forconnecting with a fill tube held in said fill tube arm, and a valvecasing recipnocable in said upper arm and relative to said valve body,said valve body having a lateral port communicating with the nozzle, andsaid valve casing having axially spaced upper and lower ports adapted toseparately communicate with the valve body port, and resilient means forurging said valve body port to a position below said casing ports, asource of vacuum connected to the lower of said casing ports, and asource of liquid product under pressure connected to the upper of saidcasing ports, first power means for moving said valve casing to connectsaid nozle to a fill tube held in said arm and move the valve casingdownwardly with respect to the valve body to a position aligning saidvalve body port with the valve casing port against said resilient means,and second power means for moving said valve casing relative to thevalve body to a position of alignment of said valve body port with thevalve casing upper port, and means for activating said first power meansin advance of said second power means by a fixed time delay, said firstpower means, and said second power means comprising short and long aircylinders and pistons ar ranged in tandem and mounted on said column,said short cylinder having a piston adapted to mechanically move thepiston of the long cylinder through a part of its stroke, and a leverpivoted on said support column and having its opposite ends pivotallyconnected to the piston of the long cylinder and said valve casing.

10. A liquid fill apparatus according to claim 9, having means to raiseand lower the column relative to the work table.

11. In a valve for filling liquids into a receptacle which valve has twopositions, one position for prevacuumizing the receptacle to be filled,and a second position for filling the receptacle, the combinationtherewith of positive controlling means for positioning the valve in thevacuumizing position for a predetermined time.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1963 Cox 1/1967 Weikert

1. IN LIQUID FILLING APPARATUS FOR FILLING FLEXIBLE THIN WALLEDCOLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER LINERS DISPOSED WITHIN A SEMIRIGID SUPPORTINGCONTAINER, THE LINER HAVING A FILL TUBE, VALVULAR MEANS HAVING A NOZZLEADAPTED FOR CONNECTING WITHSAID FILL TUBE AND INCLUDING RELATIVELYMOVABLE VALVE MEANS HAVING A FIRST OFF POSITION, A SECOND VACUUMIZINGPOSITION FOR CONNECTING SAID NOZZLE TO A SOURCE OF VACUUM, AND A THIRDPRESSURE FILL POSITION FOR CONNECTING SAID NOZZLE TO A SOURCE OF LIQUIDPRODUCT UNDER PRESSURE, AND POWER ACTUATING MEANS FOR SAID VALVE MEANSFOR MOVING THE VALVE MEANS BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND THIRD POSITIONS IN TWOINCREMENTS OF MOVEMENT SEPARATED BY A FIXED INCREMENT OF DELAY AT THESECOND POSITION.